Next to that he wanted to see Josephine's mother.

It had struck him as singular that she had not accompanied her husband to Josephine's room, and his curiosity was still further aroused by the girl's apparent indifference to this fact.

Jean Croisset and the mistress of Adare House had hung behind when the older man came into the room where they were standing.

For an instant Jean had revealed himself, and he was sure that Adare's wife was not far behind him, concealed in the deeper gloom.
Suddenly the sound of a falling object came to his ears, as if a book had dropped from a table, or a chair had overturned.

It was from the end of the hall--almost opposite his room.